'Nobody's Ever Seen This Before': How These 2 NYC Sports Icons Are Infusing Swagger into Next-Gen Eyewear NYC sports legends Stephon Marbury and José Reyes bring their signature swagger and hands-on creative input to elevate Chamelo's brand and expand its reach.
By Leo Zevin Edited by Micah Zimmerman
Key Takeaways
- Here's how Stephon Marbury turned cultural credibility into business influence across two continents.
- With his smart shades, Marbury is trying to build a brand with an impact.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Stephon Marbury had a tumultuous basketball career. He went from being hailed as a franchise savior in New Jersey to being lambasted as a scapegoat by his hometown New York Knicks. This all happened moving overseas to play in China, where he became revered like a god.
But throughout all the ups and downs, one thing remained consistent with Marbury — his ability to market himself. From Brooklyn to Beijing, the Coney Island kid has always carried a unique swagger and stayed in touch with his roots.
He became the first NBA player to endorse street ball brand AND 1, and launched the company into a new stratosphere of cultural relevance with his flashy play style and bravado. He turned his iconic nickname, Starbury, into a bona fide brand, dominating headlines in 2006.
Now, as chief brand officer of Chamelo Eyewear, Marbury is channeling that same cultural clout and business savvy into a new arena.
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Futuristic vision
Chamelo's aren't just any old sunglasses. They don't just block UV rays or make you look cool — you can adjust the tint, switch colors and even listen to music or take calls. While the tech itself isn't brand new, Chamelo has leveled it up, cutting the shade-change time down to just 0.9 seconds, compared to as long as eight minutes on other platforms.
"What we're doing is exciting because it's something new to the world," Marbury says. "We've got Prismatic lenses that shift between four different colors. Nobody's ever seen that before. And when you're part of something that's never been done before, and it's a win-win for everyone, that's special."
Marbury was first introduced to Chamelo's tech at the Jockey Club in Hong Kong, where he met founder Fenghua Li, an avid basketball fan.
"Within the first five minutes, he showed me the glasses, and I was like, wait — do that again," Marbury recalls. "I'd never seen anything like it."
Sensing the opportunity, Marbury immediately expressed interest in helping Chamelo expand into the U.S. It wasn't long before the two reconnected in Malibu and began building the business.
Li sought out Marbury not just for his marketing prowess, but his legendary status in China, where he won three CBA championships for the Beijing Royal Fighters, becoming one of the country's most beloved athletes.
"He figured doing business with me in America would be easy," Marbury says. "I said, look, it's not important for people to know my role — it's more important that we build this up and show people that the next wave of future technology is here."
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Collaboration and teamwork
Though Marbury wants Chamelo to carve out its lane in the eyewear industry, he also emphasizes the importance of collaboration.
"We want to be friends with everybody so everyone can utilize our technology," he says. Since joining the company as chief brand officer, Marbury has led several creative marketing initiatives, including a limited-edition "Knicks Aura" sunglasses collection, a deal with China Duty Free Group, and a partnership with New York Mets legend José Reyes.
"It was love at first sight," says Reyes. "Their style and lens color-changing technology reminded me of how I used to play. I would absolutely wear them in a game."
As Chamelo's first official ambassador, Reyes worked closely with the brand to co-design a new sunglasses collection set to debut throughout 2025.
"I was hands-on with the design, paying close attention to the details," he says. "My style will be amplified in this collection."
An entrepreneurial past
Chamelo isn't Marbury's first venture into consumer products. Nearly 20 years ago, he launched Starbury, a footwear brand that made headlines for its $15 sneakers and commitment to affordability.
"Starbury was a great crash course," Marbury says. "I got to learn the American market at a challenging time."
Despite early buzz, the brand faded after its exclusive retail partner, Steve & Barry's, filed for bankruptcy during the 2009 financial crisis. The experience taught Marbury a valuable lesson about control: "It's better to have everything in place and build a business where you can be vertical," he says.
While Marbury's goal with the Starbury sneakers was to make quality footwear more accessible for kids, some critics misread the low price point as a sign of low quality. With Chamelo, he's taking a more strategic approach, following a "good-better-best" pricing model.
"I always try to have something for everybody," he says. "Our next step is creating an affordable pair of glasses so kids can experience and experiment with the technology."
In his short time as chief brand officer, Marbury has infused Chamelo with his signature swagger and unmistakable New York edge, helping the brand stand out in a crowded market.
"We feel privileged and thankful that when people walk into certain stores and see Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Versace, and Prada, they also see little old us," he says.
With recent partnerships alongside the New York Knicks and José Reyes, Chamelo's future is only getting brighter. Good thing the shades are adjustable.
